Trash is a byproduct of residential and commercial activities. A typical garbage can or bag holds a large number of low-density items, such as empty boxes, bottles, and food. Empty containers and low-density materials consume space without adding much weight. Consequently, a garbage can or bag is quickly filled up with hollow items, requiring waste management personnel to dispose of the trash frequently. This increases disposal costs, fuel consumption, wear and tear on local roads and highways.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,125 issued on Jan. 24, 1984 to Tuitt claims a food depressor lid to force food towards the bottom of the container. However, the device does not contain a shaft. Therefore, a person must hunch over and reach into a garbage can to compress the food when the garbage can is less than full.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,857,408 and 5,862,748 on Jan. 12, 1999 and Jan. 26, 1999, respectively, issued to Witter claims a manual refuse compactor. However, the device contains a shaft as a means to grip the device. Specifically, a person forms a grip with their fingers and thumb that is concentric to the shaft. Consequently, compacting force is loss when the person's hand slides down the shaft, due to an upward force on shaft during the compacting process. Loss of gripping pressure, sweaty hands, or slippery shaft adds to the loss of compacting force.
U.S. Pat. No. D464,550 issued on Oct. 22, 2002 to Seppalla claims an ornamental design for a hand held device for smashing trash. However, like U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,857,408 and 5,862,748, a person's grip must be concentric to the shaft; therefore, parallel to the compacting force moving up the shaft during the compaction process. Consequently, a substantial amount of compacting force is loss when the person's hand slides down the shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,351 issued on Feb. 23, 1971 to Ross, Jr. claims an impact tool comprising an handle, shaft, and head for compacting trash. While this device contains a handle that enlarges the shaft to create a better gripping surface, a person's grip is nevertheless concentric to the shaft or handle. Similar to the previously mentioned patents, a substantial amount of compacting force is loss when the person's hand slides down the shaft or handle.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,938,731 and 3,946,662 issued on Feb. 17, 1976 and Mar. 30, 1976, respectively, to Ross, Jr. et al. claims a receptacle having a hollow holder, a cover, and a ram. However, the ram is affixed to the cover; therefore, the compacting force must originate from a fixed point. During the compacting process, the force asserted by the ram is not uniformly downward. As the ram pivot about the fixed point, the compacting force is increasingly directed towards the sidewall of a garbage can, especially when the garbage can begins to fill-up. Smashing garbage against the wall, instead of the base of the receptacle causes the receptacle to become unbalanced and tip over; consequently, garbage could fall out of the receptacle and onto the floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,297 issued on May 22, 1979 to Vigne claims a self-packing container. Similar to U.S. Pat. No. 2,178,797, the device compress garbage against the sidewall of the container. Unless the container is mounted to the floor, asserting a force against the sidewall causes the container to tip over resulting in garbage falling out of the container and on the floor.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,178,797 issued on Nov. 7, 1939 to Vigne claims a bottle breaker with a pestle having a curvature that substantially coincides with the inner edge of a cylindrical container. However, because the pestle is a single plate, it is only suitable to crush glass bottles that fragment into small pieces, creating a level surface after compaction. It is not suitable to compact garbage that does not fragment, such as large boxes, cans, or bottles. Garbage adjacent to the large box, can, or bottles would not receive a uniform compacting force; consequently, the garbage can require more frequent disposal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,619,915 issued on Apr. 15, 1997 to Wagner et al. claims a manual trash compactor with a rack and pinion gear assembly to increase the amount of compacting force. However, like U.S. Pat. No. 2,178,797, this compactor relies on a single compacting plate that spans the entire perimeter of the garbage can. Consequently, when a bulky item that does not crush easily enters the trash compactor, the compacting plate is blocked by the bulky item, preventing compaction of garbage adjacent to the bulky item.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,237,480 issued on Jul. 3, 2007 to Ruddock claims a manual operated trash compactor that utilizes a lever to assert a force on a single compacting plate. Like U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,619,915 and 2,178,797, the single plate's downward movement is easily blocked by a bulky item that is not easily crushed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,000,323 issued on Dec. 14, 1999 to Schlegel claims a trash compacting apparatus that utilizes an expandable bladder to assert a force on the trash. While the bladder provides a uniform compacting force, person must carry a remote drive system, e.g., an air compressor, to fill the bladder. Accessing and transporting an air compressor to compact trash is laborious and not practical.